Friendly Fire
by AquaJet24
Summary: Part One of Squirtle's five part Adventure. Learn about how the introvert Pokémon Squirtle first meets a fiery yet valiant life-long friend named Charmander, and they embark on their first adventure. Rated T for violence and mild language.
1. Prologue

**Friendly Fire**

Prologue

Night has settled in the Viridian Forest in the country of Kanto, where I will tell you a story about the world of humans and these creatures called "Pokémon." These mysterious creatures have befriended human beings for years. Physically, Pokémon communicate with Pokémon, and humans communicate with humans. One species cannot verbally speak to the other. However, humans who own Pokémon are called "Trainers," and even with this missing link of communication, these two species best share a traditional bond of valor and love. A human first captures Pokémon to use them in battle, and these Pokémon obey the trainers occasionally to battle other trainers or to cross obstacles that seem impossible to humans alone. I should know, for I have once belonged to a Trainer.

I am one of the participants in the Viridian Summer Camp, an annual event where we supervise younger Pokémon, and only Pokémon, in various outdoor activities. The campfire blazes, and the gathered species; Rattata, Caterpie, Pidgey, and Ekans, have finished toasting their berries, the food we most commonly eat.

The snake-like Pokémon, Ekans, with its purple scaly skin and its yellow spots; practically the only appearance that separates this character from the darkness, slithers some advice, "Before we go to our tents, why don't we tell s-s-scary s-s-stories?"

"Yes, let's try to scare each other until the sun breaks out!" giggles the common grass rat Pokémon, Rattata.

"Don't make it too scary. I don't want to stay awake all night from a m-monster..." shudders the innocent caterpillar Pokémon, Caterpie.

Rattata sharply teases, "Oh, no. We really don't want to scare off of our little friend here."

"I'm not scared! I just don't want it to be too scary, that's all."

"Leave him alone, you mean rat," says the common pigeon Pokémon Pidgey. "Besides, I remember how a little scaredy-rat ran past three towns all because of a 'ghost.'" The rat grows more timid on the inside than the caterpillar, yet he wants to strike physically to prove him wrong.

"Take it easy, guys," commands Charmeleon, sitting on a nearby log. Charmeleon is an amazing leader. A dark ring inserted into his red-orange lizard wrist acted like his iron fist, for almost no one rejects his orders. The tough yet reasonable voice emanating from his throat supports his birth mark's purpose. He has a unique scar across his right eye that looked like a turtle's paw. That fire burning on the end of his tail expresses his life force, and as long as the light is small yet hot, he's in a good mood. "To answer Ekans' question, I happen to know someone who has a great story to share with you children. It's not exactly a ghost story, but it's something worth listening to." With the support of his two feet, his body straightens and his head turns towards me. His voice rises as if calling someone, "Isn't that right Wartortle?"

That was my cue. I had no idea the lizard would bring this up, but this seemed like an appropriate time to relive my past. On one hand, the children gathered here may be young enough to understand my past. On the other, they may be too young to even comprehend the experience. I uncross my arms and walk closer to the bright, dancing campfire, with my thick, white tail following my shell. I am a dark blue turtle–like biped. A circular mark on the top left corner of my belly darkened the natural yellow color. I joined Charmeleon sitting on his log and began my story.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My home lies on a strip of land surrounded by ocean water, known as Route 21 to the humans, just south of Pallet Town. Many of the inhabitants nearby were swimming fish, obviously. I have become a Squirtle who has matured enough to explore further north. Eager to see what lies ahead I dipped into the water, my shell keeping me floating onto the surface, and stroked through the water. The distance was fair for a natural born swimmer like me, and the water was as pure as the air. The problem was when I reached land; I marched right into an area full of humans. Even in a small rural town like this, an encounter with Pokémon to humans is devastating. Before I came here, one night, as I sleep in my home, I noticed lights flash in the middle of the night from a northern distance. After a few screams, a random shadowy Pokémon gets kicked back into the nearby ocean and the lights diminish.

Cautiously, I navigated around the perimeter of the city hugging the nearby trees. No tree-dwellers hid in these trees, but it still proved an efficient strategy to get to the other side. I soon found a path of tall grass, and out of sight, I leaped in. Traveling in such grass was like a brain teaser, seeing grass in every direction and randomly running into harsh bushes. I bumped into a wild Rattata.

"Say, you're not from around here, are you?" questioned the rat.

Simply, I responded, "No."

"You should be careful. Trainers like to chase down rare species."

"Trainers?"

I never knew myself what this 'trainer' is, but before I could ask, he took off. At first, the word 'trainer' seemed beneficial, but I heeded his advice and continued through the grass. I found other Rattatas along the way, but they only wanted to fight instead of talk. Fleeing was not an option; they would always come back. Each wild Rattata I faced would run away after I stood my ground and tackled him. Apparently, they were weaker than what my neighboring sea-dwellers have warned me.

Night fell, and I stepped into another city. I can tell because of all of the lit human shelters and the rocky-patterned earth was unlike the landforms I dwell in. Not all humans were nocturnal, so detection wasn't that big of a deal. I constructed a small, temporary dome out of nearby rocks, for I would always sleep in a dome or corner. Trees were more like a last resort, but I have never been near them when sleeping. Besides, I would expect a tiny, blue turtle to be more conspicuous in the surrounding forests, for it was not where I belong. I expected no human contact, but to my surprise something happened that night...


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I peacefully slept in my short-lived home, dreaming about the possible obstacles and results my adventure would lead me. Suddenly, shell-piercing objects disrupted my sleep and caused me to retract into my shell. I sneaked my head through the front opening of my trusty shield, and my eyes sent a cold warning message down my spine. A human dares disturbs me? He had a striking hair style and a dark covering for his body.

I had to remain in my shell until the right time. I waited, and I saw his face approach my shell. From the initial peek of his eyes, he must have been inspecting me to see if he killed me and to capture me if he did not. Finally, when he peered too much, I head-butted his nose and quickly stretched my arms and legs out of my shell. Out of nowhere, another Pokémon attacks me. I push him off of me, and he backs up to the human. I couldn't understand the human's speech, but his gesture surprised me. Is he...commanding that Pokémon to attack? Puzzled, I only dodged the Pokémon's attacks. After another successful repel, I capture the Pokémon's image: a collaboration of stones with a horn on its nose. It stands on all four of his legs. I've seen strange creatures, but I never thought a bunch of rocks could act so...alive. I attempt one more dodge, but it was too late. His nose horn trucked into my belly, and I was thrown far away. Before I had a chance to get up, I felt like my life force was shrinking and entrapping. All I saw was darkness, but I felt an invisible wall in front of me. I try head butting the pitch black. One, I'm still trapped. Two, no good. Three, it's no use. I'm wiped out, and possibly a Psychic Pokémon would know where I am.

Even though there was darkness all around me. I could not sleep, not for a minute. I keep hearing echoes of sounds I do not recognize, and I could not understand one thing that had happened to me. I need answers. My head was spinning out of control. Later on, I felt a soothing sensation, as if my strength has returned to me. I felt stronger and more calm, but even a random moment of restoration could not cure my headache. I tried to lay down on something. I do not know what, but I had to sleep somehow.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I do not know how or when, but I actually slept ever since the assault from that human. When I woke up, I was in a strange environment. It was a room closed-off from the outside. The sun did not brighten the room yet, but I had lain on a strange, bouncy bed. There was a square hole in the wall with a perpendicular pattern made up of rods within its width. I spotted a larger hole on the opposite wall almost shut by a piece of wood that just fits the hole, as wide and tall as the wall itself. I received another shock to see the wood opening the gateway through the wall. What was even stranger was that a red arm with dark claws pointed at me and twitched twice toward the door. I knew it must have been some sort of Pokémon, so I followed its body language.

When I entered through the strange hole, I nearly cried out to see that same human who attacked me, sleeping, thankfully. Claw hands muffled my cry until I calmed down. I turned to see the creature: an orange, handsome lizard, to best describe. He took my arm and guided me to a location away from the sleeping human.

The lizard spoke softly, "Before you say anything, I know you must be confused. Speak low, and I'll answer your questions. My name is Charmander. You're in a Pokémon Center, a hospital to heal Pokémon, like the wounds you acquired last night."

That explains why I felt stronger when I was in that darkness. Speaking of which, I asked him, "Why did I teleport into an area of complete darkness and no way out?"

Charmander replied, "You must have been caught in a Pokéball. It is a device trainers use to capture Pokémon. It's hard to break out, but if you don't break the ball soon after you get trapped, it's impossible to get out without your trainer-"

"What is a 'trainer'?"

"To put simply, it's a human who catches Pokémon to use them for battle."

"Why?" I demanded. It made no sense why humans would enslave Pokémon to fight our own kind.

"Even I don't know why. It must be some sort of tradition. What I do know is that different trainers treat their captured Pokémon differently. I must say you're as lucky as I am to meet up with such a careless trainer."

I took a minute to get all of this into my head. I feel like I swam from my home into a world of savagery and cruel respect. Sure, I see some humans sail across the seas near my island, but they never attempted, I doubt they even thought, to capture me. I wondered what he meant by "different trainers."

"By the way," Charmander continued. "What is a Squirtle doing in a city by himself?"

I said, "I wanted to leave my home and explore the unknown world beyond my habitat."

"Ah, every Pokémon's dream. In fact, that is what we have in common with Trainers."

I raised an eyebrow at that fact. Humans go on... adventures? "Now it makes sense," I mumbled.

Charmander soon eyed the light streaking through the upper hole in the wall. "Follow me," he ordered. "Time is short."

"Can you help me escape?"

"That won't be for now. I'll talk to you later." Again, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room I had first awakened. He pulled down a wire of circular gadgets that he told me were 'Pokéballs.'

Charmander had more to say. "You can rest while you are in a Pokéball, while you see nothing but darkness, but be ready at anytime for when he calls you out."

I wanted to ask why he would call me out, but it was too late. He pressed a button that was on the borderline of the red and white color of this strange capsule. I feel the shrinking process again, and darkness once again surrounds me. I felt a little calmer knowing where I am, but I don't know what's going to happen to me. To find out, I had to wait. Sleep, in fact, is what I must catch up on.


End file.
